KRC Genk was formed in 1988 through the merger of two Limburg clubs — KFC Winterslag, founded in 1923 in the Belgian mining city of Genk, and K Waterschei SV Thor Genk, established in 1919. The combined club inherited Winterslag's matricule number and began competing immediately in the Belgian First Division, going on to become one of the country's most consistent sides from the late 1990s onward.
The club's golden era began under coach Aimé Anthuenis. After a Belgian Cup win in 1997–98, Genk claimed their first league title in 1998–99, then added a second in 2001–02. That second championship gave them entry into the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League group stage, where they drew against Real Madrid and Roma — a result that announced Genk to a wider European audience. A third league title followed in 2010–11, and a fourth in 2018–19, the latter earning another Champions League appearance. The club has also lifted the Belgian Cup five times, most recently in 2020–21.
Beyond trophies, Genk's most celebrated contribution to Belgian football is arguably its youth academy, which has produced a remarkable string of world-class players including Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, Divock Origi, Leandro Trossard, and Timothy Castagne. The Cegeka Arena in Genk, capacity around 24,500, serves as the club's home, and their traditional blue-and-white colours have been a fixture in Belgian top-flight football continuously since the 1996–97 season.